Most Important Elements to Test For

[Jess7]

I had my ammonia and nitrite spikes and it's been over 6 weeks, and everything has been at zero for about a week. A few times it looks like I may have <<.25ppm Ammonia, but it's hard to read thes test tubes sometimes. I was told I may not show Nitrate because I have real plants. I haven't used any plant fertilizer either, so maybe the plants are using the Nitrate??? Or maybe I should get a new testing kit???

 

[Analog Saint]

are the fins continuing to deteriorate? or are they healing? If they're continuing to get worse, I'd look into diseases. If they seem to be healing up, he may have just snagged himself on something or had his fins sucked into an intake.

Try putting a sponge over your intakes, and removing anything that could possibly snag his finnage. They should heal up shortly, especially with high water quality.

 

[Bmeasure]

Thanks guys...
Man, what the heck else could be causing it then? Both my bettas fins are tearing and my ammonia, nitrate, and nitrite are all at 0. Pretty newly fishy cycled tanks with plants. Could it be from being in the tanks while cycling?

I noticed you said "both". Are both of your Bettas in the same tank? If they are, then just be advised they are not called Siamese Fighting Fish for nothing! They could be fighting and then retreating if your tank is a decent size! I would think at the 6 week mark, with a week of non-detectable Ammonia or Nitrite, that your cycle has just finished. Just be aware that even though it is finished, it may take a week or two to stabilize. Such minor levels of NH4 and NO2 are hardly a problem in a planted tank, even if they do "barely show up". In a couple of weeks these will be a distant memory!

If the two Bettas are housed together....I'd bet that's the culprit! If not, I'd (as suggested previously) look at your filter intakes or other equipment that may "catch" their fins. If still "no go".....then I'd look at disease problems. I really doubt that, though! Whatever you do, don't add medication until you are sure that you have the symptoms that are listed on the medication. :duh:

 

[Jess7]

They are DEFINATLY in separate tanks...
I've alreay put them in floating betta bowls and treating them with BettaFix.
One of the bettas fins have just been consistantly getting worse, but I've seen a little bit og improvement since I've floated them. Just hope this doesn't happen again once I put them back in...

Do I just use a regular ol' sponge to cover the intake??

 

[Nuriel]

Thanks guys...
Pretty newly fishy cycled tanks with plants. Could it be from being in the tanks while cycling?

yeah, possibly could be related to stress and/or damage from going through the cycle({s}- 2 seperate bettas?). If thats the cause, I doubt it will happen again if you keep an eye on things :dive:
-from i have read you can use a piece of nylon stocking- brand new and rinsed thoroughly, of course, to slip over the fliter intake. works good with small fry, too.

 

[Jess7]

Hmmm.. Nuriel, Good Idea!
I never buy nylons, but there's alot of new stuff I'm buying now that I have fishies!!! hehe

BTW, should I assume that cycling tanks can cause Fin Rot???

 

[Kasakato]

A fishey cycle causes stress on the fish. This stress makes the fish get sick eaiser. So your fish getting fin fot, is not directly from the cycle, but the stress from it.

 

[Jess7]

And this can happen after the tank is cycled?

 

[Kasakato]

If your levels are higher your fish are more likely to get sick, if the levels are where they should be it is less likely to happen.